> WTF – Am I that Old? – Time to Vent

Last evening we joined our friends and their adult children for dinner. This is a blended family – his and her offspring. Each of their sons, both about 30 years, are in top shape. His son is 6’3 or so, very muscular and athletic. He has actually let some of his muscles dissipate now that he is a working man. Her son is about 5’11 slender and with taut muscles. He is a Kung Fu enthusiast.

At the end of the meal, the conversation turned to the fact that our friend was “thinking” about setting up an exercise area in the basement. He is also 6’3″ and recently lost 40 pounds. He has about 10 more to go. Yes, he followed my example and went Low Carb, but not on any program, just cutting out carbs and living on meat and veggies. He has also kept his fat intake low, no matter what I have said. Not low fat low, but damn close. So now it is time for him to turn his attention to getting a little more exercise. He wants to be able to jog around the “lake” not just walk.

He just turned 59 and I turn 65 next week. So the discussion also focused, in part on our “advanced” ages. My wife told me this morning that she could see me getting PO’d big time but that others could not really tell. I wonder.

I guess it started when we were discussing my friend’s desire to be able to jog again without collapsing. I spoke about my favoring interval training over steady state. As part of that, I explained what I was doing and how my goal was to get my heart rate up to 90% of Max which for me is 140 bpm or higher. When will I learn to just shut up. I was quickly told that my goal was reserved for athletes and I should be at the 60-70% level. That is 93-109 bpm. That is the level that I try not to go below while I am doing the low intensity portion of the workout. That it took me in excess of a year to build up to that level was of no matter – I was wrong – I was too old to be doing that level.

Then came the issue of when I exercise. For the past 18 months or so I have been getting up at 5:30am with the goal of being on the gym floor at 6:15. I do this Monday thru Thursday. Friday I do not exercise. Saturday and Sunday, I am at the gym when it opens at 7:00am. Well – your blood is too thick in the morning, you are going to have a heart attack. That I had a complete head to toe physical with an EKG and an echo – was of no matter.

That is when I explained that each morning I would start with an aspirin and vitamin E with a large glass of water, in part to thin out my blood. That I followed this within 15 minutes by a cup of coffee with my scoop of protein mixed in. Yikes. What did I say. Some of the things that were said included two that amazed me.

First, coffee is no good for you while exercising. Second, you lose more weight if you do not have food in you belly while exercising. Both of these are what JMC1077 (one of the more knowledgeable guys on the MH Forum) has called “Bro-Science” and what I prefer to call Bullshit.

Recent studies show a positive impact on exercise by caffeine ingested prior to exercise. The empty belly remark is from the point of view of having carbs in your belly, ready to be used for energy. I and his dad are low carbing – so our energy comes from fat. If there is only protein and caffeine – than the energy comes from depleting what ever small amount of glycogen is stored in your muscles and then burning body fat.

So where am I today, still PO’d and venting here to get it out of my system. I could not start a controversy at the dinner table. I feel very warm towards these young men, I like them and enjoy their company. Their comments were meant to be protective of me. I appreciate that.

BUT —- I don’t want to be protected because I am an old man – so, this is my place to vent and shout out to the world WTF.

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Be careful with aspirin with other blood thinning natural products. I had a hemorrhagic stroke — a bleed in the brain. I took an aspirin before I knew I was having a stroke. That made the bleed far worse.

I eat fish and take fish oil to feed my brain EPA and DHA Omega-3’s. Those also happen to be blood thinners.